Four Detroit Pistons have already shown up on Sports
Illustrated's list of the top 100 players in the NBA but it appears doubtful
any are going to crack the top 30, which has yet to be released.

The list, compiled by writers Ben Golliver and Rob Mahoney,
takes into account past NBA performance so rookies are not eligible. And since
playoff performance counted heavily, that obviously hurt some of the Pistons, who haven't
qualified for the postseason since 2009.

Topping the Pistons on the list is Josh Smith, who signed as
free agent this summer after spending the first nine seasons of his NBA career
with the Atlanta Hawks.

"It's fair to wonder
whether a player who fits Smith's current profile will be able to exist in the
NBA 10 years from now," Golliver wrote. "This generation's elite players,
LeBron James and Kevin Durant in particular, have shown the value of carefully
honing their skills and allowing statistical consultants to help guide their
development. In an evolving, ultra-competitive league full of copycats, it
seems unlikely that a player with Smith's type of incredible skill would be
able to develop — or not develop — like he did during his nine years with the
Hawks."

Greg Monroe, one of the aforementioned Pistons with no
playoff experience, is No. 52.

Monroe, who the Pistons made the No. 7 overall pick in the
2010 NBA Draft, has averaged 13.9 points, 8.9 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 227
games over three seasons with the Pistons.

"Monroe's
unconventionality takes a moment to process, and not just because he's a
left-handed big man with unusual vision who also enjoys putting the ball on the
floor to create for himself," Golliver wrote. "He lacks the mid-range jumper to
truly thrive at power forward and doesn't possess the presence and overall
defensive skill set to excel at center. Either way, he's a dependable scorer
and a determined rebounder."

"Drummond is far and away
one of the most difficult players to place on a list like this," Golliver wrote.
"His ridiculous per-minute impact as a teenager — and all the upside it
foretells– suggests a player who could conceivably be regarded as a top-15
asset right now. The Pistons would reject straight-up offers for Drummond
involving a good 30 players listed above him in this exercise, but the UConn
product and iCarly fanboy still has plenty to prove during his sophomore season. Was his midseason
back injury a one-time fluky hiccup?"

"This summer should have
been a humbling experience for Jennings, but something tells me he won't see it
that way," Golliver wrote. "It's not often that an organization decides to part
with its former top-10 pick who started for four years and twice guided his
team to the playoffs, especially when the market set his worth at a relatively
modest $24 million over three years. Jennings is a flashy playmaker with
shot-selection issues and an almost delusional level of self-confidence. His
reputation will get a boost if he finds a way to make the Pistons' unusual
puzzle pieces fit on offense."

Is Smith the top of the
line for the Pistons when it comes to SI.com's rankings or can you see somebody
else checking in ahead of him?